Improvement in liquid-meters



[39'] HENRY w MATHER.

Improvement in Meters.

ND- "8367- Patented Sep. 12,1871.

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HENRY W. MATHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIQUID-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,867, datedSeptember 12, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. MATHER, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented an Improved Liquid-Meter, of which the followingis a specification:

My invention has for its object to produce a meter of simpleconstruction and reliable operation, and the improvements relate to thatclass of m ters in which a chamber of definite capacity is successivelyfilled by the water or other liquid entering alternately on differentsides of a diaphragm or piston moving in said chamber 5 and consistsmainly in the arrangement of the passages for the influx and efflux ofthe liquid in a reciprocating or sliding valve, which is actuated by thepressure of the water applied independently of the main supply orthrough auxiliary passages; in the employment of an oscillating frame inconnection with the piston for changing the position of the auxiliaryvalves; and also, in the use of a counter-balance in combination withsaid piston, so that the water-pressure will not have to lift the weightof the piston but merely overcomeits friction.

1n the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a vertical section through. theinduction-ports of the valve, showing the chamber filled from one sideandthe auxiliary valves in a positionin which the main valve is about tobe moved to change the induction. Fig. 2 is a section on the line of theeduction-ports of the valve viewed from the reverse side from that ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is atransverse section on the line 00 a: of Fig. 1,showing one of the auxiliary valves in a position for receiving water tomove the main valve; it also shows the weighted arm for counterbalancingthe weight of the diaphragm.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the case is divided into a measuring-chamber,A, and a valve-chamber, B. The former is fitted with apiston ordiaphragm, G, journaled at D, and the form of the chamber is necessarilysemi-cylindrical to adapt it to the movement described by the piston.The valve-chamber B is preferably situated underneath the chamber A. Thevalve E, which is represented of cubical form, but may as well be madecylindrical, fits the sides of the chamber like a piston, but there islongitudinal space allowed for it to move reciprocally from end to endof the chamber. This valve has two induction ports, F F, communicatingbelow with the supply-pipe G, and above with corresponding ports ff,which enter the base of the chamber A. The

ports f f are situated on each side of the butment formed by the contactof the axial part of the piston with the bottom of the chamber, whichprevents water communication between the two. hen the valve is at oneend of its movement the port F opens a direct passage from the supply Gthrough the port f to the interior of the chamber A, and when at theother end the ports F andf in the same manner admit the supply to thechamber A, but on the opposite side of the piston C, so that the wateradmitted actuates the piston alternately in each direction. The eductionside of the valve F is provided with a similar arrangement of ports, asseen in Fig. 2, the chamber A having two discharges, h h, and the valvea passage, H, branching into, i i, at the bottom, so as to communicatewith the dischargepipe K leading to the faucet. The main trunk of thepassage H alternately coincides with the ports h it, while one of itsbranches, it, opens into the pipe K in both positions of the valve.

The operation of the measuring-chamber will be understood when it isconsidered that the induction-ports F F are admitting water on one sideof the piston O that which occupies the other side is escaping throughthe eduction-ports h h H.

The valve E is operated automatically as follows: WVhen the piston O hasmoved in its are from one side of the chamber to the other it strikesthe top of the auxiliary sliding valve-plate l and moves it downwarduntil its port 0 coincides With the auxiliary supply-pipe m. Water thenenters (being taken from the main supply-pipe through the auxiliary m)into the valve-chamber andforces the valve E to the opposite end of thechamber, and opens port f admitting the water on the opposite side ofthe piston (D, so that it begins its reverse movement. When itreaches'the opposite side it moves down the auxiliary sliding valve 1,admitting water into the valve-chamber through an auxiliary supply 011that side to change back the valve again. The two auxiliary valves 1 Zare connected by the tilting-frame a n,'which has its bearing on thejournal of the axis of valve (1, so that when one auxiliary valve ispushed down the opposite one rises, and each valve being provided withtwo ports, 0 p, as seen in Fig. 3, the

opening of the induction 0 on one side simulta- 11 eously opens adischarge, p, on the opposite side of the valve. The discharge p is ofgreater area than the induction, so that the Water escapes freely fromthe valve-chamber and offers no re sistance to the movement of thevalve. The auxiliary inlet and waste-pipes are placed on the samehorizontal line, while the inlet-ports 0 0 in the valves are above theescape-ports pp,- hence the depression of one valve admits water, andthe simultaneous elevation of the other discharges that from theopposite end of the valve-ch amber. The arm t in Fig. 3, on the outerside of the case, is fixed to the journal of the valve 0, and isWeighted at s, on the end opposite to the valve, to exactly balance thelatter, so that the pressure will have only the piston and inertia ofthe valve to overcome. The opposite end of the arm may be employed toactuate the indicator of any suitable registering attachment.

The piston (3 may be of the ordinary disk-form to Work in a cylindricalchamber, if desired, and operate, in connection with the valve E and itsauxi1iaries,in substantially the samemanner, with only slight and merelymechanical changes of the construction.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with the piston C and chamberA, the valve E, constructed as described, and actuated by hydraulicpressure through the auxiliary pipes m m, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In combination with the piston O,the oscillating frame n n connectingthe auxiliary valves 1 l, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. The valve 0, balanced by the Weight 8 on the arm t, substantially asand for the purpose set forth. v

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribin g Witn esses.

HENRY W. MATHER.

Witnesses:

K. N. JONES, W. W. PHILLIPS.

